Winter Solstice
We are in the heart of winter. The Earth is cold and bare. The sun seems to have died, and hope is lost. Winter is often a time of struggle and hardship. It can feel like Spring will never come. It is the season of waiting. Winter teaches us the fine art of loss, patience, and rebirth.
The winter solstice is the day with the shortest daylight and the longest hours of darkness. In the northern hemisphere, it falls on December 21/22, and in the southern hemisphere, it falls on June 21/22.
The solstice is a time to honour the darkness of the longest night and celebrate the sun's rebirth.
A Ceremony to Honour the Winter Solstice.
Wait for the dark to come. Have several candles or tea lights that you can light (3- 5). Begin with one candle lit. Remember fire safety. Never leave a candle unattended. Ensure your candles will not tip over or catch fire to curtains or other objects. You can do this ceremony can indoors or outdoors. Read the ceremony through once before you start.
To Begin
Take a few deep breaths.
Feel the Earth beneath you, holding you and supporting you. Feel the night sky above you, the light of a hundred thousand stars shining upon you. Know that you are safe and protected.
When you feel grounded and quiet:
Blow out the candle
Sit in the darkness. The sun has faded into the cold dark of the longest night.
Feel the deep dark of this night. The trees are bare. Icy winds blow outside. It feels like the whole Earth is asleep.
Be still and quiet, like the night.
We can feel alone and uncertain in the dark, but the darkness offers gifts, too.
I Know the Dark – a poem by Wendell Berry
"To go in the dark with a light is to know the light. To know the dark, go dark. Go without sight and find that the dark, too, blooms and sings and is travelled by dark feet and dark wings."
From the darkness, the formless takes form. It is the well of Creation, of rebirth. Feel the place of winter, of darkness, of rest, of the womb. Winter is a time of incubation and introspection.
In the winter darkness, we rest, like the Earth, and prepare for the new light and new growth that will come into our lives.
Notice any thoughts, impressions, or feelings that arise.
The Return of the Light
When you feel ready, light the single central candle.
The longest night is followed by the return of the sun. The light is newborn, small and fragile.
The Light Expands
From the central candle, light all the candles.
From a single flame, a single day, a single heart, the light increases. Revel in the light reborn. Understand that the light will expand, diminish, and expand again. It is the cycle of the Earth and of our lives. With every ending is a new beginning. We need to let go of what does not serve us, allow ourselves time to be still and rest, and know when it is time to expand and grow again.
Questions to Consider:
How would you benefit from the stillness and rest that winter offers?
What gift did the darkness offer you?
What do you need to let go of to make room for new light and inspiration?
What hope or idea lies deep within you, waiting to come to life in the Spring?
How can you be a light for the world?
Closing
When you feel complete, blow out all the candles and give thanks to the darkness, winter, the light, and the Earth for her sacred teachings.
May you receive the blessings of the Winter Solstice.
To learn more about receiving the teachings of the seasons, purchase my book, “Earth Wisdom: Connect with Nature and Your Inner Self” at janhornford.com.
